


It's "Kid Flash," Emphasis On "Kid"

by damthosefandoms



Series: Better in Yellow [2]
Category: Batman (Comics), DCU, DCU (Comics), Justice League & Justice League Unlimited (Cartoons), The Flash (Comics), Titans (Comics)
Genre: Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, Gen, HE WAS HIS DAD OK, Wally West is Kid Flash, Wally West is The Flash, also bruce is a dad, but i guess you could read this as birdflash if you want it's up to you, i just really like this au fuck off, oh look i can finally use my single favorite tag on ao3, same with wally & barry like barry's dead but wally still loves his uncle ok, someone ask me about this au or i'll cry, they don't even interact in this fic it's just all implied best friendship, wally and dick are like highkey brothers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:42:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24859351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/damthosefandoms/pseuds/damthosefandoms
Summary: You know that feeling when you feel like you're forgetting something? And you don't know what it is? Well, Wally knows what he's forgetting. It's that the rest of the Justice League has no idea he was ever a teenage sidekick. Or that he's like, 21, and still in college, but like, he's kind of okay with that.Until he has to tell them, which he would prefer not to do.
Relationships: (sort of) - Relationship, Barry Allen & Wally West, Bruce Wayne & Wally West, Dick Grayson & Wally West, Jason Todd & Wally West
Series: Better in Yellow [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1798453
Comments: 16
Kudos: 205





	It's "Kid Flash," Emphasis On "Kid"

**Author's Note:**

> tfw you write another fic for no reason
> 
> honestly i just really like this au i can't explain it. the last fic i wrote in this au was a joke but this one is serious i promise. like i'm tryna show that there's actual content here lmao
> 
> read the tags ig or the description of the series for an explanation on this au im lazy!!!! and have to go somewhere in ten minutes so i don't have the time to write this out!! but also the end notes have some explanations of details and other stuff i feel it's important that you guys know about this au so yeah. dunno if i'll ever write more for this don't hold your breath lmao love you all now go read BYE

When the light clears, the villain is gone.

“What… what happened?” Hawkgirl asks, glancing around. 

Batman stands up, his hand up to his head in an attempt to steady himself. Something about him is different. He’s a bit slimmer, and more energetic, almost. Youthful. “They said that their device would de-age it’s target… he must not have set it to any amount of years significant enough to disable us. If we can get back to the Watchtower, I can find out just how old we are. Can’t be more than ten—“

“There might be another problem, Batman,” Martian Manhunter calls from across the room. 

“And what exactly is _that?”_ Wonder Woman asks.

There’s a muffled groan from over where the Martian is. 

“When we got hit by the ray, I think Flash fell and hit his head. He’s been knocked out—oh, I think he’s waking up now. But that’s not—“

They all come running over, just to find the Flash lying on the floor with his head in his hands.

There’s an audible gasp. 

Batman pushes Manhunter out of the way and helps Flash sit up. 

He’s still in the Flash suit and the sleeves slip down his arms when he lifts them. He pushes the cowl back since it’s falling off anyway.

Batman swears. Flash just rubs at his eyes like a tired child.

“...Think I hit my head, Bats,” Flash mutters, but his words are slurred. He’s not making eye contact.

He suddenly perks up, though, just a bit, at the sound of his own voice. Something is wrong there.

Batman helps him stand up, but the poor kid is practically drowning in the red suit. He leans against the man. 

“When’d you… get s’tall? I—whoaaaa—“

And with that, the Flash loses consciousness, collapsing into Batman’s arms—and apparently, he’s eleven now.

The rest of the League watches in shock as Batman easily lifts the boy into his arms as if he were his own child and carries him back to the ship. 

This is going to be a long ride home, and someone's got some explaining to do. 

* * *

Wally wakes up in the medical wing of the Watchtower. He looks around the room: the door is closed and the windows are tinted, meaning that it must be one of the rooms they use specifically to keep out prying eyes. Wally reaches up to touch his face and finds that his mask is gone. Then he sees something strange.

There’s a cut on his arm. It’s not anything special, not really—just what’s left of a relatively deep cut from a knife some criminal tried to fight him with. It’s far from the worst injury he’s ever gotten. It _really_ isn’t anything important.

Except for that Wally _remembers_ getting this cut. He didn’t get it last week, he didn’t get it the other day—he got it when he was eleven, the night he met Batman. The night he met _Robin._

A night that was exactly ten years and three days ago.

Three days was about the amount of time it took that cut to heal last time. Wally _watches_ as what’s left of it (just a light scar, by now) starts to fade away completely. 

He turns to face the only other person in the room: Batman.

Bruce has the cowl pulled down, which Wally knows means that whatever happens next is between him and Bruce, not Flash and Batman. 

He’s okay with that. Bruce is easier to talk to, anyway.

Wally sits up. “So… guess we can cross ‘get de-aged by a supervillain’ off the bucket list.” 

Bruce just does one of his little “hmm” noises. Wally doesn’t know what he expected. Batman tends to be just a bit more talkative with the League than he usually is, but now that it’s just _them,_ it seems he’s reverted to normal Batman mode. 

It doesn’t bother Wally at _all._ He’s used to this kind of stuff. He’d better be, considering _Nightwing_ is his best friend.

(Okay, well, Dick talks a _lot_ more than Bruce does, but Wally’s spent enough time at Wayne Manor and in the Batcave over the last ten years to know Bruce pretty well.)

Wally sighs. “How bad is it, doc?” 

“You have a concussion. Normally, it would be healed within a few hours, but it looks like your powers have been de-aged with you. It’s much better now than it was last night, though. Going by your history, we can assume it’ll be fully healed by the end of the week. Physically, you’re back to exactly where you were at this age.”

“Eleven and a half?”

“Eleven and a half.”

“Great.”

Wally shifts so that he’s sitting facing Bruce, legs dangling off the side of the bed. He absent-mindedly kicks his feet. 

“So…” 

“What?”

“Did you tell them?”

Bruce turns to face him. He’s been carefully avoiding meeting Wally’s eyes the whole time.

“No. I didn’t. They have questions—the rest of us were also de-aged ten years, and it isn’t that difficult to do the math for you.”

Wally looks at the door. “Are they mad, though? That I let them think I was older, I mean. It’s not like I lied, but—“ 

“A lie of omission is still a lie.” Bruce says, quoting Diana. “I understand.”

Wally rolls his eyes. “Of course _you_ do. You never tell anyone _anything.”_

“I do what I need to, Wally. Need I remind you that I’m _also_ guilty in this situation?”

“That’s not—this was all _my_ idea. It’s not your fault. If anything, it’s Dick’s, ‘cause he’s the one who made you agree to—“

Bruce shakes his head. “You came up with the plan to cover up your past. I supported it. That’s all there is to it.” He stands up, pulling the cowl back on.

“They’re waiting for us in the meeting room. Come up with an excuse, tell the truth, it doesn’t matter—I’ll back you on whatever you say. It’s your story to tell.”

And with that, Batman is gone. Wally runs a hand through his hair. He’s screwed and he knows it.

* * *

The Flash’s origin story, as far as the Justice League knows, is as follows:

“A few years ago, I was involved in a laboratory accident on my college campus. My professor had granted me access to the lab whenever I needed it in order to finish a project, so I was in there working late. It was about 10:00 at night. This particular building had an opening in the roof, to let in sunlight, and it had been left open all day. It started raining—storming—out of nowhere. I went to close the window, but was struck by lightning. The force threw me backwards into a shelf of chemicals. I fell into a coma and woke up about a month later with superpowers. After that, I became the Flash. A few months later we formed the League. That’s my story.” 

Except it’s not.

Wally became the Flash a few years ago, but that’s not the truth of how _he_ got his powers; if anything, it’s a paraphrased version of Barry’s origin story. 

Which Wally recreated. When he was eleven. In their garage. So again, it’s not _that_ unbelievable that it could happen to a college student.

Anyway, the league buys it. Batman doesn’t say a word. He gives Wally a look, but nothing more.

The past is in the past. It’s time to move on to the next step: figuring out how to turn everyone back to normal.

* * *

So, there’s a problem.

When they were de-aged, everyone’s powers reverted to the level they were at at that age. Clark’s not up to his full strength. Bruce is back to being brand-new to the crime-fighting world, at least physically speaking. That’s… pretty much it. The rest were either born with their powers at their full capability, or they’re Green Lantern, who can use his ring now just as well as he normally can.

Then there’s Wally. Who basically just told the League that he didn’t have powers at this age, meaning that he can’t use them _at_ _all_ now, unless he wants them to start asking questions.

Like how the heck Wally’s been the Flash for the last (almost) twenty years if he’s only twenty-one. 

Because they don’t know about Barry. They don’t know that Wally isn’t the _first_ Flash, much less the _second._ They don’t know that Wally only took on the role because he _had_ to. Because the world—because _Central City_ _needed a Flash._ Because _someone_ _had to do it._

...Wally doesn’t want them asking questions. 

For the next week, Wally goes back and forth between the Watchtower and Wayne Manor. Technically he could go home, but “home” right now is his dorm at Central City University, and… yeah, that’s not happening. The other option is to go home and stay with his Aunt Iris, but he doesn’t really want to have to explain to her why he’s a kid again. Besides, she’s got her hands full with his twin cousins; Wally can’t imagine having to deal with the Tornado Toddlers _and_ an eleven-year-old speedster all alone. He’s not going to do that to her.

If he goes to Titans Tower, they’ll just make fun of him for getting de-aged. Not in a mean way—in a “best friends who gently bully each other to show affection” way, but like. He doesn’t feel like dealing with that now. 

So he decides to stay at Wayne Manor while he’s stuck like this. Bruce just rolls with it. After all these years, he’s become completely desensitized to Wally’s frequent visits back from when he and Dick were teenagers. 

Wally splits his time between doing his schoolwork online and hanging out with Jason, who’s _super_ pumped about the fact that he’s older than Wally is now.

Maybe it’s only by a couple of years, but considering that Wally used to be _much_ older than him, it’s all quite exciting. After all, Wally’s about as much of an older brother to Jason as Dick is. 

Actually, between what happened with the guy who fell off the balcony and finding out the truth about his father being killed by Two-Face, Jason’s been kind of down lately. Having Wally around has been a nice reprieve from all the negativity.

Anyway, so Wally can’t use his powers. He gets benched by the League while they track down the supervillain who did this to them. The theory is that if they can get ahold of the tech that made them younger, they can reverse engineer it to turn them back to normal. 

When they tell him that he can’t help, Wally tries to argue, but Bruce gives him a look and makes him stand down. It’s clear that there’s only one way Wally’s going to be allowed to help on this mission while he’s still at this age. 

Yeah, right. _Not_ happening. He’ll take the week off, but there is no way he’s missing out on that mission.

* * *

A week after the incident, they finally track down their bad guy. Wally goes along for the ride, though he’s still dressed in civvies and is told to stay on the ship.

For once, Wally listens to orders. 

Sort of.

Because the League gets their asses kicked. Like, seriously. It’s one of those “everyone-is-down-for-the-count-and-they-don’t-expect-backup” things.

But Wally is a _hero, dammit,_ and he’s going to help his friends and save the world if it kills him (which it probably will one day, but that’s irrelevant). 

He listens in over the comms, realizes his friends are down for the count. 

Batman was right. He should’ve told them from the beginning. They’re going to be _pissed._

But what the hell.

He pulls the old ring he brought with him against his better judgement out of his pocket, brushes off the dust, and slides it on. Backup is on the way.

* * *

When his identity was first revealed to the League (thanks a lot, Bruce, you show-off; Wally could’ve leaked _your_ identity too, don’t act too smug), Diana told him that red hair suited him. Wally knew that already, kind of. It used to be part of his signature look as a kid; the cut off top of the cowl so he could feel the wind in his hair as he ran. Now that he’s _literally_ in Barry’s shoes, he doesn’t get to have that feeling anymore. 

He missed feeling _free._

There were a lot of reasons he wore yellow—mostly because his suit was the inverse of Barry’s and all—but part of it was because the red clashed with his hair. If he could figure out a way to get the old design back and combine it with Barry’s suit, it’d be perfect. Maybe add some silver too. That’d be neat.

Another reason he prefers this suit: he doesn’t feel like an imposter in it.

The last few years have been great. Some of the best of his life. But none of it compares to the feeling he’d get as a kid, running at the speed of light side by side with his uncle. 

Because as much as Wally is meant to be the Flash, he’s not meant to be Barry Allen.

He used to dream about being the Flash, sure, but never like this. He could picture it: he’d get his own suit, maybe they could split it so Wally gets Keystone and Barry gets Central and… something. But no matter what, they’d work _together._ That was always the _plan._

Wally knew he wouldn’t be a sidekick his whole life. He didn’t _want_ to be. He just… well, it doesn’t really matter now. Because wearing the Scarlet Speedster’s suit makes him feel like a fraud.

Wearing _this_ one, well… 

It feels _right._

It feels like _Wally._

* * *

The supervillain, whoever he is (Wally never caught his name, not that it matters), is monologuing. He’s going off on one of those rants straight out of a Marvel movie, the ones like “I have an army,” or “what were you the god of again?” The ones where it gives the hero a perfect moment to do something totally, mind-blowingly badass and throw out some cool quip while they’re at it.

Wally _loves_ it when they do that. He gets ready to run. 

Three, two…

“Face it, heroes, you have no hope. Not even the Flash can save you now—“

Well, _that’s_ an opportunity. Wally _runs._

The bad guy goes flying backwards with the force of Wally’s sonic punch.

He shakes off his hand, which hurts because his powers were different back then so of _course_ it does, faces towards the bad guy, and straightens up. If he’s going to do this, he’s going to do it right.

“It’s _Kid_ Flash, actually. But I’ll give you credit for not calling me _Speedy.”_

 _Really?_ That’s _the line you’re going with? 4/10. Could’ve been cooler._

Wally turns and holds a hand out to Batman. He grunts and takes it. “Surprised you’re not late this time.”

Because he isn’t. Pay attention: he wasn’t supposed to come at all. If anything, he’s early.

Wally smiles. “Barry used to tell you all the time that the Flash suit is cursed. Maybe you should’ve listened to him.”

Batman just narrows his eyes in response, and then the Justice League saves the day. Whatever. It doesn’t matter, really. They get what they need and call it a day.

* * *

One week and a _lot_ of explaining of entirely too much backstory to his current teammates later, Wally—finally back to normal—walks into Titans Tower. Nightwing, Tempest, Troia, and Arsenal are all there for the anniversary of their first-ever team-up, way back when. Wally sits down on the couch, laughing along with his best friends. 

Wally’s not quitting the Justice League. He’s not going back to being Kid Flash. Those days are long gone. But _this?_ Wally is _never_ going to get tired of this.

**Author's Note:**

> Some facts:  
> 1) The Titans were founded around the idea of “Fuck Batman.” Wally now works with Batman. He finds it all very funny. When the League was formed, Dick called him a traitor and said he was never going to talk to Wally again. They went to play mini golf three hours later. Wally has more blackmail on Batman than anyone else on Earth (with the exception of the Wayne family themselves). It’s fantastic.  
> 2) Flash gets treated like a teenage sidekick by more and more Justice League members as time goes on. The ironic part is that he was treated better when he was a teenage sidekick.  
> 3) He never told the League (specifically, the founders) about his past as Kid Flash because this was his chance to become his own person. The only (adult) heroes who knew about Kid Flash back in the day were Flash (obviously), Batman, Green Arrow, Black Canary, and Green Lantern—that is, Hal Jordan. There just weren’t as many heroes around back then. Superman was probably the only one, but he only met Barry once like a month before Barry died for a charity race to see who was faster. It was a whole thing. Clark didn’t know that that Flash was a different person than the one he formed the JLA with.  
> 3a) Hal left Earth when Barry died. He was offered a special mission off-Earth by the Guardians on Oa and took it, because he didn’t want to stay there if Barry wasn’t going to be around. Wally hasn’t seen Hal in years, but they used to be super close. John Stewart doesn’t know any of this, but hey; he still works so well together with Wally that it just proves the theory of the Flash & Green Lantern friendship thing.  
> 4) Barry died. Iris didn’t. The tornado twins were born around the time Barry died, and Wally helps Iris out with them whenever he can. He loves his cousins, although they’re more like siblings to him than anything else. After all, Barry and Iris basically raised him from when he was eight.  
> 5) Whether they’re Dick and Wally, Robin and Kid Flash, Nightwing and Flash, Batman and Flash—none of it matters. They’re best friends. Inseparable. They’re brothers. Fuck off.  
> 5a) Okay, you can read this as birdflash if you want. I don’t care either way. Neither of them are straight no matter which way you see it. Either they’re both bi or one’s gay or any other combination of it. But it’s true. Fight me.  
> 6) Bruce is like, Wally’s uncle, but also not like how Barry was his uncle by marriage but also Barry was pretty much his dad, or like Hal was his uncle by being Barry’s best friend in the multiverse and essentially his brother. Bruce is just the last even semi-father figure Wally has left. That, and Bruce was the one who helped Wally cover up the Kid Flash stuff when the League formed.  
> 6a) Bruce feels like he owes it to his good old friend Barry to keep Wally safe, which is why he’s vaguely protective of the kid. Also because Wally is his son’s best friend and safety net. Just a little bit protective. Bruce is a DAD fuck off. I’m SO here for good parent Bruce Wayne DC DONT EVEN LOOK IN MY DIRECTION I LITERALLY WROTE THIS WHOLE THING ON FATHER’S DAY OKAY.  
> 7) Uh, anyway, yeah. Jason. He was only supposed to be a reference but I got carried away because I love my boy and can’t help but make some sort of reference to the whole thing like. listen. the way my timeline works, jason is robin rn, and he's fifteen and therefore he's gonna die like a month after this WHOOPS  
> 7.5) ok I had to edit the timeline bc I realized I fucked something up so I’m taking a year off this fic BUT yknow Jason’s death still applies lol.   
> 8) OK THATS ALL HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT LMAO


End file.
